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tech-and-ai

US FCC Chair Criticizes EU Content Moderation Law

March 04, 2025
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The chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, has expressed concerns over the European Union's content moderation law, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA). Carr stated that the DSA's approach is incompatible with America's free speech tradition and may excessively restrict freedom of expression. He warned that this could lead to censorship and undermine the diversity of opinions on online platforms. The DSA, which became effective! a year ago, aims to make the online environment safer by compelling tech giants to tackle illegal content, including hate speech and child sexual abuse material. However, Carr argued that the law's approach is at odds with the commitments made by US tech companies to promote diverse opinions. The European Commission has pushed back against Carr's comments, stating that the censorship allegations against the DSA are completely unfounded. The US tech companies, including Apple, Meta, and Alphabet, have been requested to provide briefings on how they plan to reconcile the DSA with America's free speech tradition. One possible solution being considered is geofencing, which involves restricting content by region to create separate platforms for EU compliance and US free speech requirements. However, the technical and economic feasibility of this approach remains unclear.
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